For celiac travelers hoping to fly to the island of sand and surf, the journey just got a little bit easier. Hawaiian Airlines has announced that it’s onboard menu will now include “Gluten Free Snack Boxes” for purchase – enabling passengers with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease to snack safely even if they didn’t pack something ahead of time.

The boxes cost $7 and include gluten-free hummus, multi-seed crackers, turkey sticks, roasted chickpeas, fruit gummies and a chocolate chip cookie. Besides the snack box, other smaller snack items, such as gluten-free chips and salsa or hummus and chips can also now be purchased for $4 each.

Facebook users responded positively to the announcement, with some commenting that Hawaiian Airlines is one of the few carriers to provide a gluten-free snack option. However, others noted that they would love to see a gluten-free choice among the complimentary in-flight meals.

One gluten-free traveler, who had recently flown from the West Coast to Honolulu, commented: “Spaghetti and meatballs was a no-go for me, but someone got a double portion! I was quite hungry by the time we landed.”

When it comes to food allergies, the airline has no similar provisions. Its website simply states: “Hawaiian Airlines cannot guarantee allergen-free flights, and we make no provisions to do so.”

Hawaiian Airlines is not the first to offer gluten-free fixings on-board. In addition to carrying gluten-free snack options for purchase, major carriers United, US Airways, and Air Canada offer “gluten-intolerant” meals that can be ordered in advance. For full information on the allergy and gluten-free policies of 13 major air carriers, check our popularComparing The Airlines’ Allergy Policies Chart.

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2015/07/08/hawaiian-airlines-says-aloha-to-gf-snacks/feed/0Gluten Found in Probiotics, Despite ‘Gluten-Free’ Labelhttp://allergicliving.com/2015/06/09/gluten-found-in-probiotics-despite-gluten-free-label/
http://allergicliving.com/2015/06/09/gluten-found-in-probiotics-despite-gluten-free-label/#commentsTue, 09 Jun 2015 12:50:18 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=35133Probiotic supplements may do more harm than good for those with celiac disease – even when labeled “gluten-free”. This is according to a new study from Columbia University’s Celiac Disease Center, which found that among top-selling probiotics, more than half contain trace amounts of gluten.

Probiotics, which contain live bacteria and yeast, have gained popularity as an aid to gastrointestinal health, a common issue among those with celiac disease. However, the Columbia study, which was presented last month at Digestive and Disease Week in Washington D.C., helps to explain why some patients with celiac disease complain of symptoms despite eliminating foods that contain gluten.

The New York researchers tested 22 popular probiotic brands. Using a sensitive measuring procedure called “liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry,” they identified gluten’s toxic epitopes in 55 percent of the products tested, including two that were labeled “gluten-free”.

“Some patients say they get the best probiotic out there, but our study shows that price is no guarantee that it will be gluten-free,” says Dr. Peter Green, the gastroenterologist who heads Columbia’s Celiac Disease Center. “Just as people with celiac disease are preoccupied with and hyper-vigilant about what food they eat, so should they be with anything they put in their mouths.”

Celiac disease, which affects approximately 1 percent of the American population, occurs when the body detects the presence of gluten and reacts by causing damage to the lining of the small intestine. This damage then interferes with the uptake of other key nutrients, leading to a number of disparate symptoms, from bloating to skin rashes and osteoporosis. It is unclear whether the trace amounts of gluten found in the probiotics tested would cause symptoms or harm to celiac patients.

The study was prompted by a survey the center conducted in 2013, which found that celiac patients who used probiotics had more symptoms than those not taking probiotics. Two other research papers also set off alarm bells: one out of Nebraska found that five of eight cereals marketed as gluten-free contained the protein, while the second, by researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada, reported that many herbal supplements contain fillers and substitutes such as soy and wheat, often without informing consumers on the packaging.

Given the most recent findings, Green cautions that for celiac patients, probiotics are a “buyer beware” market. Although the FDA now requires that packaged foods and dietary supplements must contain less than 20 parts per million to be labeled gluten-free, the agency doesn’t officially enforce the regulation.

“There are no gluten policemen and therefore, there are no penalties,” Green told Allergic Living. “It’s voluntary. Measuring of gluten in products is done by lay groups.”

“Gluten-free” oats are now available in Canada. In a new labeling practice, Health Canada will now allow packaged oat products that contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten to be marketed as “gluten-free”– in keeping with current labeling standards in the United States and Europe.

“These changes will make it easier for Canadians with celiac disease to make safe and informed food choices,” said Rona Ambrose, Canada’s Minister of Health in a statement on May 29, 2015. “By allowing a gluten-free claim on specially produced oats and foods that contain them, consumers with gluten sensitivities will be better able to identify products they can safely eat.”

In 2013, the FDA finalized a new U.S. gluten-free standard, after finding that oats with less than 20 ppm of gluten are safe for the large majority of those with celiac disease. Now after a lengthy assessment, Canada is following suit, and agreeing that current science backs the gluten-free marketing claims at the low-exposure levels.

Prior to this change, food manufacturers in Canada had to use less-than-clear labels – such as “pure, uncontaminated” or “wheat- and rye-free” – to indicate that their oats or oat products were, in fact, gluten-free.

The lack of consistency of terminology left consumers unclear on what was safe, and what would make them sick, says Sue Newell, the operations manager of the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA). “The biggest reason that we wanted the oats that were suitable for those with celiac disease to be labeled ‘gluten-free’ was that there was tremendous consumer confusion out there,” she told Allergic Living.

Gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley, is detrimental to the health of those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Even small amounts can cause symptoms in some celiac patients or lead to long-term health issues. Oats are naturally free of the offending protein and studies indicates that oats are safe for most celiac patients, as long as they have been grown in fields free of cross-pollination and processed in a dedicated facility to avoid cross-contamination.

For those with gluten restrictions, experts hope that this new label, effective as of May 19, will open the pantry door to more dietary options. “Oats are a nutritious grain and can add variety for those who must follow a strict gluten-free diet for life,” notes Anne Wraggett, CCA president.

Newell expects to see the biggest change in the cereal and granola bar store aisles. She hopes that the new label will encourage manufacturers to put out more gluten-free products.

A small percentage of people with celiac disease have been found to react to a protein in oats, known as avenin, just as if they were reacting to gluten. The University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center estimates that, “perhaps less than 1 percent of celiac patients show a reaction to a large amount of oats in their diets.”

Experts therefore suggest those with celiac disease speak to a health professional before adding oats to their own gluten-free diet.

For more information from the Canadian Celiac Association about celiac disease and oats, click here.

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2015/06/03/gluten-free-oats-label-approved-in-canada/feed/0‘Seriously, Celiac’ Campaign Stresses Need for Family Testinghttp://allergicliving.com/2015/05/05/seriously-celiac-campaign-stresses-need-for-family-testing/
http://allergicliving.com/2015/05/05/seriously-celiac-campaign-stresses-need-for-family-testing/#commentsTue, 05 May 2015 15:00:24 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=34519Just in time for Celiac Awareness month, a new campaign sends this critical message: If you have the disease, talk to your extended family about it, tell them how serious its long-term health effects can be, and emphasize – they need to get tested, too.

The campaign, called “Seriously, Celiac Disease” has launched with an affecting video, which has already received thousands of shares and news coverage.

But Alice Bast, the president and CEO of the National Foundation for Celiac Disease, which has created the program, says that social media sharing alone is not enough. She stresses that people with celiac disease need to use the video and the related NFCA materials to start a one-on-one conversation with relatives – from siblings, to grandparents (or grandchildren), aunts, uncles and cousins. The intent is to make them aware of the risks, and how easy it is to do the initial blood-test screening.

Previous research the NFCA worked on with the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Emerson College in 2012 identified issues getting relatives to test for celiac disease, so this year the NFCA was looking for strategies that would truly motivate people to get to the doctor’s office for a blood test, and in her words “drive diagnosis” of a disease that is widely considered under-diagnosed.

Here is Allergic Living’s Q&A with NFCA’s Alice Bast About the “Seriously, Celiac Disease” program. (The following has been edited for length.)

First, can tell us about the intent of this new testing campaign?

Alice Bast: Whenever we initiated conversations about the genetic link to celiac disease, we would continue to hear from an overwhelming majority of the community members that their relatives were not interested in getting screened and didn’t fully understand their risk.

To give our community the tools they needed to help get their relatives tested, we conducted a multi-phase research project and learned that there is a right and wrong way to have the conversation about celiac disease testing. We took what we learned and used it to drive the “Seriously, Celiac Disease” campaign.

The new video is designed to model what the conversation should look like using tactics grounded in the Health Belief Model, one of the most widely used conceptual frameworks in health behavior, and a downloadable “Dos and Don’ts” guide walks the diagnosed through what a successful conversation looks like.

Our research also found that biological at-risk relatives want to learn more about celiac disease and the blood test before visiting their doctor. We developed a guide that seeks to educate and empower those most at risk on how to ask their doctor for the celiac disease blood test.

Of note, I have had the opportunity to connect with so many people living with celiac disease over the years. I’ve heard time and again from those who cope with devastating health consequences, like cancer, from remaining undiagnosed for so long. They always say, ‘If only I knew sooner.’ That’s a real eye-opener. We started to think about what we could do to get people diagnosed faster and protect them from these severe health consequences.

Between the data, community feedback and my own experiences, we knew that a family testing campaign would be extremely beneficial and effective in achieving that goal.

NFCA is clearly putting a lot of effort into this campaign. What makes it so important?

AB: “Seriously, Celiac Disease” is the first awareness and educational campaign dedicated to exclusively helping people with celiac disease talk to and encourage their family to get tested through personal, one-on-one conversations.

Of the estimated three million people living with celiac disease, only 17 percent are diagnosed by a medical professional. That’s a huge problem. Left untreated or mismanaged, celiac disease can cause a host of serious health consequences, like osteoporosis, other autoimmune diseases (like thyroid disease) and even certain cancers.

Since celiac disease is genetic, blood relatives of those with the autoimmune disease have a much higher risk of developing it than the general population. By testing those most at-risk, we can start knocking down that undiagnosed rate. It is especially important that families understand the importance of being screened even if symptoms are not present; many people don’t have any symptoms or don’t realize they had symptoms until after diagnosis when treatment begins.

There’s also a lot of misinformation floating around out there about celiac disease. But, since celiac disease is so serious, there needs to be proper follow-up and management not just at the time of diagnosis, but for the rest of our lives.

That’s why “Seriously, Celiac Disease” is so important. People need the right tools and the right information to have the right conversation with their family members.

American researchers are investigating ways to develop a strain of wheat that is not gluten-free as such – but would be safe for those with celiac disease.

“Until now, much of the research on celiac disease has focused on the human element of the disorder, in which a person cannot tolerate gluten,” explained the project’s lead researcher Chris Miller. “However, this project is looking at a way to alter the gluten itself – so that it would cause a more mild reaction or even no reaction at all.”

An estimated 1 percent of the American population has diagnosed celiac disease and these rates and the rates of non-celiac gluten sensitivity are thought to be on the rise. At present, no type of wheat is safe for those with celiac disease, and the only method of treatment is following a strict gluten-free diet. As well, many individuals are avoiding gluten (and therefore wheat) as a personal diet choice.

The Kansas Wheat Commission invested $200,000 over the next two years into the research project hunting for celiac-safe wheat – a response to the growing consumer demand for gluten-free products.

In order to create a type of wheat that is safe for people with celiac, researchers need to identify the specific proteins in wheat that cause reactivity, explains Miller, a cereal biochemist. The first phase of the project, which began in July 2014 in Kansas, involves identifying proteins in different varieties of wheat, and wheat relatives, as well as experimental varieties and historically popular wheat dating back to the 1900s. The identified proteins will then be tested against human celiac disease antibodies to determine precisely which proteins cause reactions.

“This will give us a better understanding of wheat proteins and will allow wheat breeders to use the findings to develop new wheat varieties with lower levels of celiac-toxic proteins,” Miller told Allergic Living.

However, some health experts caution that this may be an overly simplistic approach.

“That this research could contribute to our understanding of all amino acid sequences causing an immune response in individuals with celiac disease is tremendous,” said Tricia Thompson, a registered dietitian and founder of the Gluten Free Watchdog website. “Whether individuals with celiac disease would eat wheat grain deemed to be ‘celiac safe’ is a completely different issue.”

Thompson is reserving her verdict on this idea until the study has progressed further.

“It would be helpful if the research included in vivo testing – human feeding trials – to determine whether the wheat truly is safe for individuals with celiac disease,” she said. “However, the researchers may have difficulty finding human guinea pigs for this study.” According to Miller, there are not yet plans to test the new wheat on celiac patients.

There is the risk that while a new type of wheat might be less toxic to those with celiac disease, it could still be harmful to them. In celiac disease, the immune system’s rejection of gluten proteins can set off immediate gastrointestinal symptoms, lead to long-term damage in the small intestine, and even conditions as diverse as thyroid disease, osteoporosis and anemia.

Despite the challenge, Miller is optimistic. At the end of the preliminary research, he hopes to identify the exact DNA that causes celiac reactions as well as which varieties of wheat are more reactive. Though it will likely be more than a decade before a resulting product is available commercially, he says a lot will be learned in the next few years.

“Whether this results in a truly celiac-safe wheat variety or not, the project will benefit wheat breeders, farmers and the public,” he says.

Children’s growth rates could be the key to catching celiac disease early, according to a major study out of Finland.

“Prior to diagnosis, growth faltered in most children with celiac,” the researchers stated in the study. “These children could have been detected several years earlier by a well-established growth-monitoring program.”

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that causes the body to reject gluten. Whenever the offending protein – found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye – is eaten, the intestine become damaged and key nutrients such as iron, folate and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K cannot be absorbed. The resulting symptoms include malnutrition, and in children, a short stature or the inability to put on weight.

Investigating the latter, Finnish researchers looked back at records from three university hospitals from 1994 to 2009 to compare the growth of more than 51,000 healthy children, aged 0 to 20, to that of patients who were found to have celiac disease before the age of 16. The results, published in JAMA Pediatrics, showed that more than half of the young celiac patients (57 percent of girls and 48 percent of boys) demonstrated below average growth patterns two years before they were diagnosed with celiac disease.

None of the 177 children with celiac disease had any other conditions that would impact their growth, according to the study.

The rates of celiac disease are on the rise and an estimated 83 percent of Americans with the condition are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with another disease. If left untreated, this disorder can lead to further health issues including infertility, osteoporosis, neurological problems and other autoimmune conditions.

“Acceptable screening accuracy can be achieved for celiac disease via the use of several growth-monitoring parameters in combination, preferably using computerized screening algorithms that are integrated into an electronic health record system,” concluded the authors.

Researchers considered five factors when conducting their growth screening for celiac: how different a child’s height and body mass index were from the population average; how off a child was from their target height, and the rate of growth and body mass index compared to average children. Though none of these were sufficient predictors of celiac disease on their own, these researchers say that the five elements taken together could predict the disease with a high level of accuracy.

The study noted that using such growth factors to screen pediatric patients for celiac disease represents a low-cost, non-invasive way to detect the condition early.

The massive recall occurred when the Campos Foods discovered that the spice mix used in their ready-to-eat cheese burgers contained trace amounts of wheat. However, wheat was not included on the products’ ingredient list.

Wheat is one of the Top 8 recognized allergens and contains gluten, making this recall a concern for those with wheat allergy, gluten intolerance, and celiac disease.

Jim English, president and COO of Campos Foods, told Allergic Living that their third-party spice supplier changed its ingredient list to reflect the fact that wheat is used in their manufacturing process. When Campos Foods became aware of the change to the spice ingredient statement, they opted to do disclose the new information to the public and do a voluntary recall.

English emphasizes that the cheeseburgers and their manufacturing process remains unchanged. “It’s the same product it’s always been,” he says. “In the final product, it’s less than 2 parts per million of wheat.”

The two H-E-B brand burger varieties which contain the undeclared allergen were produced between August 2014 and January 2015, and shipped to retail locations in Texas.

According to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Tennessee-based company has received no reports of adverse reactions due to the wheat-contaminated burgers.

Going forward, the recipe for the pre-prepared burgers will remain the same, but the burgers now include wheat on their ingredient list.

The restaurant’s designated gluten-free menu includes 19 appetizer, entrée, and dessert options that either contain no gluten as prepared or can be modified to be gluten-free. These items are each $1 more expensive than their gluten-containing counterparts.

The lawsuit, which was filed on Dec. 9 in a Northern California court, notes that although some adjustments to regular menu items come at no extra charge, all meals on the gluten-free menu are more expensive, even those that naturally contain no gluten. Phillips contends that the extra surcharge reflects unequal treatment of those who are medically required to avoid gluten, such as those with celiac disease.

The Northern California woman filed the class action suit on behalf of anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance who ate from P.F. Chang’s gluten-free menu in the past four years – which, according to estimates, could include 3,000 people.

Phillips is seeking to remove the added menu costs, and receive restitution for surcharges that have already been paid as well as other compensation and penalties.

However, major celiac organizations the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and the Celiac Disease Foundation have both voiced their concern over the implications of the lawsuit.

“While it can be frustrating to pay more for food that we need in order to be healthy, we can’t overlook the fact that making safe gluten-free food comes with a cost,” Alice Bast, NFCA’s president and CEO, told Allergic Living. “We would not want to deter other restaurants from purchasing gluten-free ingredients or pursuing training programs, [like those offered by NFCA], that can make them better equipped to serve gluten-free food to those with a medical need.”

A 2008 study comparing gluten-free items with comparable counterparts found that cutting out gluten can be costly. The Dalhousie Medical School researchers found that on average, gluten-free products were 242 percent more expensive. British researchers who did a similar study in 2011 found that gluten-free groceries range between 76 and 518 percent more expensive – a mark-up that some, like Phillips, argue is unfair.

“Having a dietary issue is a disability,” attorney Mark Heller told Yahoo Health. “To have to pay a premium price is discriminatory, and there is legal basis for a case. It would be like installing a handicapped ramp and then charging people a dollar to use it.”

When the NFCA posted news of Phillips’ lawsuit against P.F. Chang’s on Facebook, the article received more than 600 likes, however, majority of those who commented were concerned.

“My wife and son are gluten free because of celiac and we have no issues paying $1 or $2 more for gluten-free food from a trusted source,” wrote Matt Robbie. “P.F. Chang’s is our family’s favorite restaurant because of the precautions they take and the attention they give to making sure my wife and son are taken care of. I will pay extra for that every day.”

Other commenter noted that other allergy-aware restaurants, Red Robin for instance, also charge extra for items such as gluten-free buns. P.F. Chang’s, which was named as one of AllergyEats most allergy-friendly restaurants last year, says it does not comment on pending litigation.

As someone with celiac disease, Bast knows that eating gluten-free has increased her food expenses. However, she says, “Personally, I am happy to pay a few extra dollars if that means knowing I am safe from gluten exposure.”

]]>http://allergicliving.com/2015/02/18/p-f-changs-faces-lawsuit-over-gluten-free-menu/feed/0Coors Brews Up A Gluten-Free Beerhttp://allergicliving.com/2015/02/18/coors-brews-up-a-gluten-free-beer/
http://allergicliving.com/2015/02/18/coors-brews-up-a-gluten-free-beer/#commentsWed, 18 Feb 2015 13:50:04 +0000http://allergicliving.com/?p=32719One of the biggest brands in beer is no longer off limits for those with celiac disease.

MillerCoors, manufacturer of Coors Light, recently announced that it is adding a gluten-free brew, Coors Peak Copper Lager, to its lineup.

The new beer is certified as gluten-free and brewed separately from other Coors products to prevent cross-contact. Due to production capacity, this new brew is currently only available in Seattle and Portland.

MillerCoors joins fellow big beer maker Anheuser-Busch (with its Redbridge brand) and many craft brewers in a growing gluten-free field. Many of these beers use malted sorghum in place of barley to produce light-tasting naturally gluten-free beers.

“Our brewers scoured through as many naturally GF grains as they could find to malt, brewing with each until they found a recipe that delivered the well-rounded and balanced taste that they had been searching for,” Stern says of Coors Peak. The result is a light- to medium-bodied copper lager. “The malty, slight caramel profile is offset by subtle hops and the finish is crisp, clean and perfectly balanced,” says the beer aficionado.

MillerCoors is just one of many major food and beverage companies weighing into the gluten-free arena.

Recently Pizza Hut also grabbed a slice of the gluten-free pie – a marketplace that is expected to make more than $15 billion by 2016. The world’s largest pizza company now has a gluten-free option available across the U.S in cheese or pepperoni versions. The gluten-free pizza uses Udi’s Gluten Free crust, and received certification from the Gluten Intolerance Group, which includes requiring food handlers to wear fresh gloves and use specific gluten-free utensils when preparing these pizzas.

Cheerios has also gotten in on the gluten-free game, officially announcing that the brand’s original, honey nut, and three other varieties will now carry the gluten-free label. Though the cereals are made of oats, which naturally contain no gluten, they risked cross-contact with gluten products, so the best-selling cereal brand spent three years inventing a safe process at its facilities.

So whether you’re just waking up or ordering in for the big game, going gluten-free no longer means missing out big name food products.

For those with celiac disease, finding a restroom is not merely a matter of convenience; at times it is a matter of urgent necessity.

With diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation as some of the most common symptoms of celiac disease, sporadic public restrooms may not be enough.

Now, Delaware is the sixteenth state to open more restroom doors for those with celiac disease and other gastrointestinal-related conditions.

Delaware’s new restroom access law, known as bill HB 245, took effect on December 8 and requires retail businesses to allow customers with gastrointestinal conditions to use “employee-only” bathrooms. The bill applies to those with Crohn’s, colitis, and any “other condition or device requiring immediate access to a restroom facility” – this includes celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and the need for a colostomy bag.

Some business owners have voiced concerns over allowing greater access to their private restroom facilities. To avoid abuse of the new regulations, customers seeking use of the restroom must present retailers with some type of “can’t wait” card, which can be written medical proof or an identification card issued by a health organization indicating that they have medical condition that requires such access.

“This is not meant to be a hammer on businesses,” Representative Trey Paradee, who sponsored the legislation, told Delawareonline. “What we really wanted to do is just increase awareness. The reality is, 99 times out of 100, if someone walks into a business and is obviously in distress most business owners or employees of a business will say absolutely, go ahead.”

Businesses who refuse access to customers with a legitimate medical need can be fined $100 under the new law.

The bill requires no changes to existing facilities and 15 other states across the U.S. have already passed similar legislation.